Jan. 29, 2009 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- It can be pricey to gear up and get into position for snow sports like skiing and snowboarding. To get good, though, you have to practice and, let's face it, that costs more.

But skiing and boarding are really, really fun. To deprive yourself when you live just down the hill in Sacramento is unforgivable given that Tahoe is right outside our back porch.

Truth is, the cheapest way to enjoy the snow is to buy season passes and buy all the stuff. Use it enough times and you'll get your money's worth.

But how about a day trip for the everyman?

There are ways to get to the snow on the cheap, saving a few bucks here and a few bucks there to make it possible to smile and speed down a hill during even during crummy economic times.

So, powder to the people, brothers and sisters of the cheap-o revolution.

Step 1: Pick your mountain, get your coupons

An easy way to save is to pick a ski/snowboard area that is close to you. Time is money in this case.

Time in a car means money on gas and less time to actually use that pass.

For example, Sierra-at-Tahoe is roughly 90 minutes from midtown Sacramento. With the exception of Boreal on the Interstate 80 side of things, Sierra-at-Tahoe, on the south side along Highway 50, is one of the first ski resorts one hits on the way to Tahoe.

It looks like a postcard along the highway, with tree boughs heavy with snow, making the view from the window alone a worthwhile expenditure of time and resources.

Another good way to save is with coupons, several of which can be printed out from online sites. These are free money, so make sure you get them.

Great sites include www.snowbomb.com/ community/coupons/ and www.skicoupons.com/ groups.cfm/r/15/g/26. At press time, as we perused snowbomb.com, there were discounts deeper than snowdrifts at places like Kirkwood, Boreal, Northstar-at-Tahoe and Sierra-at-Tahoe. But beware: They change and have expiration dates.

Check out a cool deal at Homewood Resort, which advertised 29 days of $29 lift tickets before the season started. Well, there are still 18 days left, including Monday through next Thursday. Check out www.skihomewood. com/ski-tickets/deals.

Step 2: Hit the sales, check the tags

There's no room for fashion on the slopes. No one cares and no one looks at it as much in such economic times.

Dig through old trunks and the bottoms of drawers. Where are those thick socks? Where is that beanie Grandma knitted for you? Isn't there a pair of thermals (preferably of those wickable man-made fibers) somewhere around the house?

Find them.

Then, get what you don't have and what you can't rent at the sales.

And are there ever sales.

The snow will be around for only a month or two longer. That means places like Sport Chalet (NASDAQ:SPCHB) and REI have bins of what you need at significantly reduced prices. Bask in the beauty that is a red line drawn through original prices.

For example, a pair of gloves that originally cost $45 were around $19 with tax at the Sacramento REI.

Another smart move is to check a given store's inventory online. That way you know exactly what you are getting and how much you are going to spend. It's also an easy way to compare prices.

If you just head into the store and you're looking at goggles, for example, ask yourself if you need the super-fancy ones, locked in a case with three figures on the price tag? Or, will a $29 pair (that might fog up a bit) do fine for a trip or two?

And really, beanies need only keep your head warm. They don't need to match your boots, they don't need to have built-in iPod hookups. If you're wise enough to wear a helmet, it won't matter.

Step 3: Rent down here

More than likely, it's cheaper down here than up there.

There is one potential drawback to renting down here. If your ski or board has some sort of technical problem, you will have to pay at the ski lot at which you're playing. Meanwhile, if you rent at the lodge, it can fix you up for free.

The good news is that most ski-rental shops, if you can prove an equipment defect, will reimburse or partially reimburse your rental fee.

Land Park Ski and Sports on Freeport Boulevard in Sacramento rents excellent skis (including boots and poles) for $32; snowboards (including boots) go for $34 for the first day. Jacket and pants are $10 apiece.

Pick a rental spot that is closest to you, as there is not much variation in price from place to place in the Sacramento area.

Step 4: Pack a lunch, water and snacks

Don't depend on the lodge when it comes time to sate a vamped-up appetite.

Go with what you have in the house, pack a couple of sandwiches and empty your pantry of crackers and chips that have been sitting around.

Snow brings out everyone's appetite. And if someone was pooh-poohing those wheat crackers in the cupboard, they'll scarf them down on the slopes.

Step 5: Get there smartly, get there green

Even though gas prices are on the rise again, enjoy the fact they are not at $5 a gallon and indulge in the American luxury that is the personal car.

But careful now, don't go leaving big old carbon footprints in the snow.

Let's do some math: 90 miles to Sierra-at-Tahoe. At 22 miles per gallon, that's about 3.8 gallons of gas to get you there, another 3.8 for the return. With gas about $2 per gallon, that would be just under $9 each way, $18 round trip.

Not too shabby, especially if you can split that among several passengers.

Speaking of ride-sharing, there are a few money-saving transportation options if you don't want to drive.

Kirkwood advertises a ride-share program that allows like-minded sliders to find one another and set up rides to the resort: rideshare.kirkwood.com.

Sierra-at-Tahoe can link you up to a ride, too: rideshare.sierraattahoe.com.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0178-31327528